People like to travel because we are all looking for something that lifts life fleetingly above the level of repetitive routines and rhythms: something that takes us beyond the drumbeat of everyday life. We search for the hardest possible break from daily routines that our budgets and time schedules allow: for new sceneries and experiences, new people to meet, new things to do.
But such is the tragedy of human life that this, too, can become a routine after a while. Spending much or all of your time in a beautiful place – and there are few places as beautiful as the Riviera coast – can fill you with a longing for … well, something different, a different type of beauty. Something other than palm trees, sea views and sub-tropical lushness.
This, however, is one of the best things about the Riviera: different types of beauty are never far away. There is the barren harshness of the Alpine foothills, for example, but above all – and much nearer-by – there are the red rocks of the Riviera in Esterel.
If you are looking for something else than tropical lushness, this is the place to go: there is certainly less vegetation here – and there are far more stones …
… fewer seascapes (although there are some) …
… and more mountains (the eye is constantly drawn inland rather than out over the sea)…
… and, above all, there is a different colour scheme: you will find little of the usual mix of greens.
Instead, everything here is drenched in the flaming, fiery colour of the red rocks of the Riviera.
There can be no doubt that the majestically beautiful Esterel mountain range is the best place for hiking on the French coast between Toulon and Menton.
There is, however, a catch: the trails are difficult to access, particularly if you don’t have a car.
The Esterel stretches between St Raphael and Mandelieu on the western edge of the French Riviera and is served by the railway line between Cannes and St Raphael (this is actually how most people catch their first sight of the Esterel’s red soil: from the train window on their way to the resorts of the Cote d’Azur).
But local trains (trains that stop rather than rush through) circulate only in two-hour intervals, and at the best of times, the journey to any of the stations on the foothills of the Esterel takes you approx. 90 minutes from Nice.
And most of the trails start further inland and pose additional problems and challenges. For example, it seems that not all of the routes that you will find described on the Internet are consistently marked.
The administration of the Forêt Domaniale de l’Esterel has only laid out four well-signposted trails, and just one of them starts (and finishes) just outside a train station – the station of Le Trayas.
Therefore, if you want to explore the Esterel, this is the perfect place to start.
On arrival, walk back a few metres on the platform, cross the rails and turn left. Watch out for the markers and take a sharp right turn to follow the arrow that points uphill.
Look at this junction well and make a mental note of it: you will need to consult this note later. What follows now is the most physically demanding part of the hike.
The Esterel may well be something special, but has this in common with the rest of the Riviera coast: going inland, the only way is up.
But when you arrive at the parking lot on top of the Col de Notre Dame, Act One of the hike – the one where you have to do all the hard work – lies safely behind you.
Act Two is dominated by views over the high Alps on your right hand side …
… and finishes just under the peak which is called the Bear’s Tooth.
The loop of the trail now swings to your left, which means that you will get the opportunity to enjoy a completely new set of views, featuring the Uzel massif …
… and a magnificent viewing platform from where you look towards St Raphael and beyond, all the way to Saint Tropez.
This is also (roughly) the half-way point of the hike and the perfect place for a picnic.
You are now the furthest away from Le Trayas – and close to the trail’s highest point.
From here, your gradual descent begins, starting with a swing to the left for the back leg of the walk and its final act.
Eventually, you will arrive at the junction where you took a sharp turn uphill and made a note in your mind. Remember? This is the time to consult your mental note, because this is the place where you must not follow the markers – unless you enjoyed the walk so much that feel like repeating the entire loop. If you decide to stay on the straight, however, you will reach Le Trayas station in about 15 minutes.
Finally, some more tips.
First, you should leave early so you can complete most of the walk – which will take you about 4 hours – before lunchtime. Avoid hiking the Esterel in the summer’s mid-day sun because there is often no place to hide (few trees, few shadows), and do not start too late in winter because there are fewer daylight hours in the afternoon. The best time for an exploration of the Esterel is in the spring or in October before the clocks go back.
Le Trayas is little more than a train stop: there is nothing there that you would normally expect to find in a proper train station, not even a ticket machine.
There are also no shops anywhere near, so you should buy everything in advance that you may possibly need for your trip (including food, drinking water and your return ticket).
If you have to wait for your return train at Le Trayas and are looking for a place away from the sun, walk towards the trailhead again but, instead of turning left, continue straight to find a stone bench after 20 meters or so on your left.
When you are traveling in the direction of Nice (trains arrive on the opposite platform, across the rails), you should make your way back well in time: sometimes, long freight trains keep the barriers closed for minutes on end. You don’t want to wait 90 minutes for a train only to watch it come and go while you are trapped on the wrong side of the tracks.
As you can see: the Esterel may be playing hard to get, and there are many things to consider before you go and while you are there, but you will be richly rewarded.
The path along the red rocks of the Riviera in Esterel is one of the best, if not the best trail on the French Riviera.
